What is the future of legal services in the U.S.? How should the enormous unmet need for services — to the middle class and to the poor — be met? Judy Perry Martinez, the Chair of the ABA Commission on the Future of Legal Services, was in Cleveland last week, and discussed the
What if? Ohio board issues succession-planning guide for lawyers
What if you suddenly became disabled and couldn’t handle your law practice? Or, if you were to die, who would deal with your pending matters? Who has the password for your computer? Who knows where you bank? The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct last week published an ethics guide titled “Succession Planning” that
Privilege for communications with PR firms: recent case spotlights risk
Thinking of using a public relations firm to help manage a corporate crisis? Divergent interpretations of the privilege rules have led to differing legal opinions on whether communications between a PR firm and the company or defense counsel are privileged. Two different state courts of appeals ruled last month that such communications were not privileged. They illustrate the privilege risk that can arise in communications with PR firms.